


I Like You

by chocolatebrownie



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Awkward Jason Todd, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Humor, JayTim Week 2020, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24491818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocolatebrownie/pseuds/chocolatebrownie
Summary: Three times Jason tries to ask Tim out, and one time he succeeds.Day 1: College AU OR Chef/Baker AU
Relationships: Roy Harper/Koriand'r (background), Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Comments: 10
Kudos: 125





	I Like You

**Author's Note:**

> I had to do so much research on US colleges for this, I hope it's accurate... enough. European troubles. I hope you enjoy and please leave feedback/comments!

"The usual?" The barista asks.

Jason nods in response. He pays and moves to sit in a nearby booth while they make his order - a plain with extra shots of espresso, and a breakfast burrito. He's gonna need it if he's gonna pull through today (of course he has two papers due along with a midterm).

The on campus café is quite empty for a Friday morning, most of the students have morning lessons. Sighing, Jason pulls out his phone and mindlessly scrolls through his feed. The bell to announce a new customer as soon as the door is opened jingles, causing him to distractedly look up.

It's the cute boy again.

Jason flushes and ducks down, unconsciously running a hand through his hair to smooth it out. He's been running into Pretty Boy the whole semester and had never once had the courage to talk to him. He likes to call it, 'admiring from afar' to which Roy responds, 'bullshit'.

Jason watches as Pretty Boy goes to the counter to place his order. He's dressed in a coat and a scarf that just makes him look cuter, and boots that look expensive. He realises he's staring and contemplates whether he should talk to him just as the barista calls out, "Jason?"

After a second of hesitation, Jason picks up his bag as he heads over to the counter to pick up his order... which is right beside the register where Pretty Boy has just finished paying. Jason awkwardly smiles at him as he glances up, and then at his order.

"Jason?" Pretty Boy asks. He freezes, not expecting him to _talk_. He was getting by absolutely fine with longing glances and awkward smiles!

"That's me!" Jason says, too loudly and inwardly cringes. _Why?_

Pretty Boy doesn't seem bothered though. He smiles at Jason, revealing perfect teeth, "I'm Tim Drake. I've been seeing you around for a while now, I just wanted to say hi."

Jason nods, a bit too enthusiastically, "Oh, um. I'm Jason. But you already knew that..." He cringes internally, _what's wrong with him?!_

Tim chuckles, and it's a pretty sound, and then the barista calls out for Pretty Boy - _Tim_ \- then. Tim picks up his cup, "A double espresso. I don't think I can get through today otherwise."

Jason nods in understanding, following Tim towards the exit, "Same."

They linger outside the café. Tim shivers in the cold late-October air, and Jason realises he's shorter and is the perfect height to hold him close. He resists the urge to wrap an arm around him and pull him closer. He _could_ ask Tim out, at least for lunch or something. Gathering the courage, he prepares to speak up, but Tim beats him to it.

"I have a class soon, I should be getting a move on." He says as he pulls his phone out and checks the time.

"Yeah, me too." Jason says, somewhat relieved.

Tim nods, "It was nice meeting you Jason, see you around campus." 

He gives him a last smile, and walks away. Jason waves and stares at Tim's back until he disappears. He sighs. Pretty Boy is not only cute, he's also nice, and can actually speak in full sentences apparently.

He's screwed.

____________________________________________

"You spoke to him and _didn't ask him out?_ " Roy asks incredulously, putting down his lunch tray.

Jason glances desperately around the lunchroom hoping nobody heard, "Roy! Stop yelling!"

Roy doesn't seem to care, "What's wrong with you? You've been crushing on him for weeks now!"

Jason sighs and puts his head in his hands. 

"I didn't want to come off like a creep." He mumbles, but Roy hears and scoffs.

"I'm sure you seemed creepy enough with how I think you reacted." He replies, unwrapping his sandwich.

Jason doesn't want to admit how painfully true that is.

"Jaybird." Roy hisses suddenly, "Jason."

"What?" Jason asks, head still in hands.

"He's looking at us, he's walking towards us, Jason! Jason, he's here!" 

Jason jerks up to find Tim standing beside their table, and Roy, with a polite smile that looked really odd on his face. He was glad Roy didn't smile like that often.

"Tim!" Jason all but yells, "You're... here." Roy shakes his head in disappointment, which Jason ignores. 

Tim balances his lunch tray in one hand and tucks a strand of hair behind his ear with the other, "Yeah... I was wondering if I could sit here?"

"Yes, of course!" Jason moves his bag and makes place for Tim. "Oh, and this is Roy." 

Tim nods in acknowledgement.

"Well," Roy drawls dramatically, "I'd better get going, I have this... thing to do." 

Jason looks at Roy and pleads with his eyes, hoping to convey his desperation, but the asshole just rolls his eyes. He mouths, _"Ask him out."_

Jason turns to Tim as Roy leaves, "So, how was your class?"

Tim shrugs, jabbing at his pasta, "Introduction to programming. It was okay. What about you?"

"I didn't have any lessons, I spent the day in the library working on the paper for Linguistics I had due." .

"What do you major in?" Tim asks curiously.

"English," Jason says, "I used to read a lot when I was younger, especially literature. I love Shakespeare."

Tim shakes his head, "I hate Shakespeare. It makes no sense."

"Yes it does!" Jason protests, and after a pause, "It's okay though, Shakespeare is only for refined tastes." 

Tim frowns, and for a second Jason thinks he's gone too far for someone he's just met, but then Tim smiles, "I'm refined too!"

"Oh really?" 

Tim laughs, " _I_ think, Shakespeare's only for nerds."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Jason makes a face. Tim looks at him and laughs again, and in his fervour he knocks his spoon off the table.

"I got it." They say at the same time, leaning down to pick it up. Their fingers brush, and Jason jerks his hand back like he's been burned. Tim ducks his head and picks up the spoon, but Jason spots colour on his cheeks and Tim settles back.

This is normally the time to ask someone out, isn't it? Jason wonders.

"Look, Tim-" He begins, but Tim's phone starts beeping incessantly. He pulls it out, reading the messages. "Oh no, I have a meeting for a group assignment right now." He frantically piles everything on his tray, "I'm so sorry Jason, I'll- I'll see you later."

"No, wait, Tim-" Jason calls but Tim has already left, leaving Jason staring at Tim's retreating back once again.

____________________________________________

As he opens the door, Jason hopes Roy isn't home yet, not in the mood for an interrogation. He has no such luck.

Roy's sitting at the desk, sketching something for his robotics class. His girlfriend, Kori, is lying on his bed reading a magazine. 

"Hello, Jason." She greets him, not looking up from her magazine.

Jason closes the door and replies with a hello. 

Roy glances at him, "How'd it go?" Kori looks up in interest as Jason sighs.

"He left before I could ask him." Jason mutters.

"Seriously?" Roy asks, to which Jason nods.

"You're terrible at this." Roy sighs, to which Kori asks, "What happened?"

"Jason likes a guy, has been liking him for months now." Roy informs her, "And he isn't asking him out."

"It's only been a few weeks," Jason intervenes, "And I haven't had an opportunity!"

"Because you're terrible at this." Roy repeats.

"Roy." Kori chastises him and turns to Jason, "What's his name?"

"Tim." Jason responds. Kori looks like she's waiting for more. "I don't know his last name." Jason adds.

Roy gives him a self-satisfied smirk and Jason glares back.

"Tell me about him." Kori says and leans back against the pillows.

"Oh... um, well, he's really pretty and his eyes are the perfect shade of blue. He has dark hair that he puts up in a bun and it's cute and the bangs fall in his face just so, and his glasses make him look so endearingly dorky..." Jason rambles on and doesn't notice Kori exchange an amused look with Roy.

"Okay," Kori interrupts, smiling, "I think I get it, Jason." She glances at Roy, "Would you be able to find his schedule if you just knew his first name?" 

Roy frowns, "Probably. Why?"

"Jason can talk to him after his last class. It's a Friday anyway, it's unlikely that he'll have anything to attend to." Kori explains.

Jason nods, "I guess we can try that."

Roy sighs and opens his laptop, "Fine. How many Tims could there be anyway?"

____________________________________________

Quite a few, Jason finds out, as the list of Tims at the college pops up.

"Christ." He scrolls down the surprisingly long list. 

"Do you know anything about him that could narrow it down?" Kori asks, scanning the screen.

Jason thinks, "Well, he told me he had a programming class today."

"Seems like a computers major." Roy says, filtering the names by the class. The list shortens to six names.

"He could be any one of these," Roy clicks on the first name. Their schedule opens with a picture of the kid.

"Wait," Jason says and pulls the laptop towards him.

"Yes, of course, Jason. You can grab my laptop." Roy says sarcastically and Kori lets out a light laugh.

Jason ignores them both and goes through the list, stopping at the third name. Tim's - _his_ Tim's - picture pops up. "Found it."

Roy and Kori glance at the screen, "Tim _Drake_?" Roy asks, "As in Drake Industries?"

Jason blinks.

"Jaybird," Roy looks gleeful, "He's not just a pretty boy, he's a pretty _rich_ boy."

"That's irrelevant. I like him anyways. Besides, you're rich too."

"So are you. And I've already told you that I don't want anything to do with Oliver!" Roy declares.

Kori just shakes her head, "According to the schedule, his last lesson ends in... 10 minutes?"

"And it's on the other side of campus," Roy adds, "In the tech building." He frowns at the screen, looking through his other classes, "Damn, he's a computer nerd."

"You should get going, Jason." Kori smirks at him.

"But what do I _say?_ " Jason frantically gets up and starts pacing. 

"Just ask him out!" Roy sounds exasperated.

"But _where?_ " Jason cries.

Roy pushes him out the door and locks it. _Why is he even my best friend?_ Jason wonders as he puts his hands on the door and calls outs, " _Roy!_ " 

No response.

He sighs (been doing that a lot today) and makes the decision, sprinting out of the dorms to the tech building.

Jason manages to get there in time, before the class ends. He wrings his hands nervously, pacing. _There's no way I can do this_ , he thinks, _Tim would never want to go out with me, he's too pretty and smart and has the most amazing blue eyes and smile-_

His thoughts are cut off by the door opening and the students filing out. Tim exits last, his eyes on his phone, and almost bumps into Jason.

"Hey there." Jason says gently, holding Tim by the shoulders to steady him.

"Jason?" Tim looks at him, "Oh, I'm sorry." He waves his phone around, "My group is really annoying. Nobody cooperates and I'm going to end up doing all the work." He grumbles.

"Tell me about it." Jason nods absently and then nervously goes back to wringing his hands.

Tim adjusts his bag on his shoulder, "So, what are you doing here?"

"I- Um, Tim," Jason fumbles and composes himself, deciding to get it over with, "I really like you. And I was hoping you'd go on a date with me." He avoids eye contact and stares at his shoes.

"Oh, Jason." Tim says softly, "I really like you too. And I would love to go on a date with you." 

Jason's head snaps up, "Really?"

"Yes!" Tim says as they head out of the building together, "How about tomorrow evening? We can go to this Italian restaurant with the most _amazing_ tiramisu."

Jason nods, still a little dazed from Tim's reaction. The cold late afternoon air jolts him out of it and he shivers. Roy didn't even throw him a jacket before he locked him out, the asshole. 

Tim notices and pulls Jason closer, wrapping an arm around his waist. Jason looks down at him in surprise and Tim smiles fondly back. Jason puts an arm around Tim, remembering the urge he felt outside the café to pull him close, and does just that. 


End file.
